Black Sheep Coffee could open branch in Basingstoke

Black Sheep Coffee could open in Basingstoke as it expands into Hampshire for the first time.

Black Sheep Coffee has signed a deal to open at least 16 stores across the county, from high streets and shopping centres to drive-thrus, roadside sites and retail parks.

A Black Sheep Coffee shop in Thames City (Image: Chocolate Chip Photography)

No sites or opening dates have been confirmed, but the announcement could revive interest in Basingstoke after the chain’s Festival Place plans fell through.

Black Sheep Coffee was expected to open at Festival Place in 2023 in a unit near Burger King, formerly occupied by Caffè Nero.

The company said the opening was delayed while the design was finalised.

But the branch never opened.

The chain said Hampshire was a major opportunity because it has no stores in the county.

The company is considering Southampton and Portsmouth, along with other busy locations across Hampshire.

Basingstoke could be in the running because of its shopping centre, commuter population, retail parks and major road links, although no local site has been identified.

Franchise partners Sumeet Dhillon, Brinderjeet Gill, Kalveer Dhillon and Ankit Patel will lead the Hampshire expansion.

The shops will serve Black Sheep Coffee’s specialty-grade Robusta, food, matcha and cold drinks, with formats tailored to customers travelling, working and shopping.

The expansion is expected to create jobs across the county, but there is no timetable or estimate of how many roles it will bring.

Founded by Eirik Holth and Gabriel Shohet in 2013, Black Sheep Coffee says it was the first business to bring specialty-grade Robusta beans to the market.

The Hampshire deal is part of the chain’s wider UK expansion through franchise partners.